Absorbent article and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

An absorbent article comprises a layered structure with an absorbent material sandwiched between at least two layers of the structure, and at least one elongate tab. Each elongate tab comprises an attached portion by which the tab is attached to a first layer of the layered structure and a fastening portion provided for releasably engaging a landing zone on the absorbent article. Each tab is made of a predetermined material which is deformable by an energy source. The attached portion comprises a plurality of surface protrusions integrally formed of said material, each of said surface protrusions comprising a base portion and a head portion above the base portion. The attached portion is attached to said layer by deformed head portions of at least some of said surface protrusions. In a method for manufacturing such article, the attachment involves deforming head portions of the surface protrusions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An absorbent article comprising:
 a layered structure with an absorbent material sandwiched between at least two layers of said layered structure and at least one elongate tab, each of the at least one elongate tab comprising: an attached portion by which the tab is attached to at least a first layer of the layered structure, a fastening portion configured for releasably engaging a landing zone on the absorbent article, and a stretchable portion in between the attached portion and the fastening portion, 
 wherein each of the at least one elongate tab is a film, a nonwoven web, a sheet or a laminate which comprises a complete layer made of a predetermined material which is deformable by an energy source, 
 wherein each of the at least one elongate tab is stretchable by 50% to 300%, 
 wherein the attached portion comprises a plurality of surface protrusions which are integrally formed of said predetermined material, each of said surface protrusions comprising a base portion and a head portion above the base portion, and 
 wherein the attached portion is attached to said first layer of the layered structure by deformed head portions of at least some of said surface protrusions. 
 
     
     
       2. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed head portions are wider than the base portions of the surface protrusions, such that fibres of at least said first layer are engaged by the surface protrusions of the attached portion. 
     
     
       3. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed head portions are bonded to or fused with material of at least said first layer. 
     
     
       4. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion comprises hooks which are integrally formed of said predetermined material. 
     
     
       5. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongate tab is fully made of said predetermined material. 
     
     
       6. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined material is a thermoplastic material deformable by an energy source chosen from: heat, ultrasonic vibrations, micro waves, infrared radiation. 
     
     
       7. The absorbent article according to  claim 6 , wherein said first layer is made of a different thermoplastic material having a different melting temperature than that of said predetermined material. 
     
     
       8. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined material of the plurality of surface protrusions of the attached portion and a material of the first layer to which the tab is attached are incompatible polymer blends. 
     
     
       9. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongate tab is permanently attached to at least the first layer of the layered structure. 
     
     
       10. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one elongate tab is a disposal tab attached to an outer layer of the layered structure and configured for being wrapped around the article. 
     
     
       11. The absorbent article according to  claim 10 , wherein the disposal tab is a Z-folded tab, a bottom layer of the Z-folded tab comprising the attached portion and a top layer of the Z-folded tab comprising the fastening portion. 
     
     
       12. The absorbent article according to  claim 11 , wherein layers of the Z-folded tab adhere to each other, the layers including at least the bottom and top layers of the Z-folded tab. 
     
     
       13. The absorbent article according to  claim 10 , wherein the disposal tab is stretchable or elastic such that the disposal tab is configured for being wrapped around the article. 
     
     
       14. The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongate tab is a fastening tab attached to a first side portion of the layered structure and configured for being fastened to one or more landing zones on a surface of the layered structure. 
     
     
       15. A method of manufacturing an absorbent article with an absorbent material sandwiched between at least two layers of said layered structure and at least one elongate tab, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a first layer of said layered structure and the at least one elongate tab, wherein each of the at least one elongate tab is a film, a nonwoven web, a sheet or a laminate which comprises a complete layer made of a predetermined material which is deformable by an energy source and comprises a first portion, a second portion and a stretchable portion in between said first and second portions, wherein each of the at least one elongate tab is stretchable by 50% to 300%; 
 b) forming surface protrusions on at least said first portion of each of the at least one elongate tab by deforming said predetermined material by said energy source; 
 c) positioning each of said at least one elongate tab with respect to said first layer, such that the first portion of the tab overlaps with the first layer and said surface protrusions are directed to the first layer; and 
 d) attaching the first portion of each of said at least one elongate tab to said first layer by further deforming head portions of at least some of said surface protrusions of the first portion by said energy source, thereby creating an attached portion wherein the tab is attached to said layer by said deformed head portions. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the deformed head portions are wider than base portions of the surface protrusions, such that fibres of said first layer are engaged by the surface protrusions of the attached portion. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the deformed head portions are bonded to or fused with material of said first layer. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein a second portion of each tab is also made of said predetermined material and surface protrusions are also be formed on said second portion in step b), thereby creating in said second portion a fastening portion provided for releasably engaging a landing zone on the absorbent article. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one elongate tab is fully made of said predetermined material. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said predetermined material is a thermoplastic material and wherein the energy source is chosen from: heat, ultrasonic vibrations, micro waves, infrared radiation. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said layer is made of a different thermoplastic material having a different melting temperature than that of said predetermined material. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the attached portion includes the predetermined material, and the predetermined material of the attached portion and a material of the layer to which the tab is attached are incompatible polymer blends. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein said thermoplastic material of said layer to which the tab is attached is also deformed by said energy source. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of folding said at least one elongate tab.